Gillette Fusion to sponsor 2010 World Club Challenge

Correspondent

Gillette Fusion will sponsor the 2010 World Club Challenge match between Super League champions Leeds Rhinos and NRL winners Melbourne.

The Gillette World Club Challenge will take place at Elland Road, Leeds, on Sunday February 28 at 6.30pm when the best two teams from the northern and southern hemispheres will go head to head.

Welcoming the news, the RFL’s Commercial Director Paul Kimberley said: “We are delighted that Gillette have agreed to sponsor the 2010 World Club Challenge and look forward to working with them on an event which has become one of the highlights of the sporting calendar.

“The last few seasons have produced some hugely entertaining contests and we fully expect this year’s Gillette World Club Challenge to be just as exciting with two great champion teams going head to head.”

The match will be the third successive year in which Leeds have attempted to add the world club title to their engage Super League crown. In 2008 the Rhinos defeated Melbourne 11-4 in front of a record crowd of 33,204 at Elland Road and in March this year 32,569 people saw Manly Sea Eagles beat Leeds 28-20 at the same venue.

Nathan Homer, the Business Leader of Gillette UK and Ireland, said: “Gillette is proud to strengthen its association with Rugby League and we are looking forward to building on the success of our sponsorship of the Gillette Four Nations and the England team.

“As a worldwide brand we strive for excellence in everything we do and there is a perfect synergy between Gillette Fusion and the World Club Challenge.”

The Gillette World Club Challenge will pit some of the stars of last Saturday’s Gillette Four Nations Final between Australia and England together once again.

Leeds are expected to feature their club captain Kevin Sinfield and England captain Jamie Peacock, as well as International Rookie of the Year Ryan Hall, while NRL champions Melbourne count the likes of Gillette Four Nations Man of the Series Greg Inglis, Four Nations Final Man of the Match Billy Slater and Kangaroos hooker Cameron Smith in their ranks.

Details of ticket prices and availability for the Gillette World Club Challenge will be announced shortly.